If you follow the UFC, you already know Bryce "Thug Nasty" Mitchell isn't exactly a guy who keeps his opinions to himself. He’s the camo-wearing, Arkansas-bred featherweight who became famous as much for his "twister" submission as for his insistence that the Earth is as flat as a pancake. But even for a guy known for fringe theories, what happened in January 2025 was a massive escalation. People were left asking: what did Bryce Mitchell say about Hitler that actually made Dana White, a man who usually ignores controversy, sound genuinely disgusted?
It all went down on the very first episode of Mitchell’s new podcast, ArkanSanity.
The Rant That Rattled the MMA World
Most fighters use their podcasts to talk about training camps or weight cuts. Bryce? Not so much. During the episode, the conversation drifted toward Elon Musk and some social media antics, but Mitchell took it a dark step further. He explicitly stated that, based on his own "research," he believed Adolf Hitler was a "good guy."
He didn't stop there. He went on to describe the dictator as someone he’d "go fishing with" before the leader supposedly started using meth. It was a bizarre, jarring attempt to humanize one of history's most notorious monsters. Mitchell framed his views as an escape from "public education indoctrination," a recurring theme in his worldview where everything taught in schools is a lie designed to control the masses.
The Breakdown of the Comments
To understand the gravity of the situation, you have to look at the specific claims. It wasn't just a vague comment; it was a series of harmful tropes.
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- Holocaust Denial: Mitchell explicitly denied the Holocaust. He argued that there was "no possible way" the Nazis could have cremated six million people, concluding that the event "ain't real."
- Justification of Persecution: He claimed Hitler was simply trying to "purify" Germany. He used homophobic and antisemitic rhetoric to suggest that Hitler was reacting to people who were "destroying his country."
- Book Burnings: He even defended the Nazi book burnings, claiming the materials being destroyed were "queer books" that were harmful to society.
Honestly, it was a lot to take in. His co-host, Roli Delgado, tried to push back, noting that putting an entire race into camps is generally considered "bad." Mitchell’s response was to tell Delgado he simply hadn't done enough of his own research.
Why the UFC Didn't Cut Him
When the news broke, the backlash was instant. Reporters flocked to UFC CEO Dana White to see if the promotion would finally pull the plug on Mitchell. White’s reaction was blunt. He called Mitchell "one of the dumbest human beings" and described the comments as "beyond disgusting."
However, White made it clear that Mitchell wouldn't be disciplined. Why? Because in the UFC’s current culture, "free speech" is the ultimate shield. White argued that while the comments were ignorant and wrong, the promotion doesn't police what fighters say on their own time. He basically said that if people hate Bryce Mitchell now, they should just tune in to watch him "get his ass whooped" on television.
It’s a polarizing stance. Some fans appreciate the lack of "cancel culture" in the UFC, while others think there should be a hard line when it comes to praising a genocidal dictator.
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The "Apology" and Moving Forward
A few days after the episode aired, Mitchell posted a video on Instagram. He didn't exactly retract his "research" methods, but he did backpedal. He stated he was "definitely not a Nazi" and acknowledged that "a lot of people died in the Holocaust."
He said:
"I'm sorry I sounded insensitive. I definitely was not trying to offend anybody, but I know I did."
For many, the apology felt like a "sorry you were offended" move rather than a genuine change of heart. By the time his next fight at UFC 314 against Jean Silva rolled around, Mitchell was mostly sticking to his "fearless" persona. He told reporters that he wouldn't be censored by any man and that his research on history was his business alone.
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The Practical Reality of Following "Thug Nasty"
If you’re a fan of Mitchell’s fighting style—which is undeniably high-level—you’ve basically had to learn to separate the art from the artist. Or, in this case, the grappler from the podcaster. Mitchell is a top-tier athlete with some of the best Jiu-Jitsu in the world, but his public persona has become a minefield of conspiracy theories.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Followers:
- Fact-Check the "Research": When public figures suggest "doing your own research" regarding historical events like the Holocaust, it's vital to look at primary sources and peer-reviewed history. The evidence for the Holocaust—including German records and survivor testimony—is some of the most documented in human history.
- Understand Platform Policies: If you are a content creator, realize that the UFC is an outlier. Most major sports leagues (like the NBA or NFL) have much stricter "conduct detrimental to the league" policies that usually result in immediate suspension for similar comments.
- Critical Consumption: When listening to athlete-hosted podcasts, remember that being an expert in a cage doesn't make someone an expert in history or geopolitics.
What Bryce Mitchell said about Hitler remains a stain on his career for many, but in the world of professional cage fighting, the controversy often just fuels the next pay-per-view. Whether he's talking about the shape of the Earth or the events of the 1940s, Mitchell has proven he's going to keep talking—regardless of who's listening or who's offended.
To stay informed on the actual history of these topics, you can explore the extensive archives at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum or the Yad Vashem website, both of which provide exhaustive evidence and education on the realities Mitchell questioned.